Decoy-duck.



"NITED STATES Patented December 2 2, 19035 PATENT CFFIoE.

D ECOY-DUCK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 747,732, dated December 22, 1903. Application filed March 31, 1903. Serial No. 150.411. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADOLPH KREMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sacramento, in thecounty of Sacramento and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Decoy- Ducks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in decoys; and one of the principal objects I have in viewis to construct a decoy so that it may be easily and readily folded to occupy but comparatively little space when not in use, but may be distended or inflated, so as to have the appearance of a life-size fowl whenbrought into use.

A further object of the present invention is to form the decoy with an outside covering or casing which is composed of flexible material and is so colored as to resemble the plumage of a fowl.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible inner casing, composed preferably of rubber, which is secured in proper position at certain points to the outside covering, said inner casing beinginflated through the medium of a tube extending through the outside casing and connected with said inner casing.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a decoy which may be easily and quickly placed in condition for use, one that will be extremely light, and which when resting upon the surface of the water will have a natural appearance.

With these and other objects of a similar nature in View the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as is described in thisspecification, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a decoy embodying my improvement; and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the outside casing or oovering of my improved decoy, which may be of canvas, muslin, or any other similar and suitable material, which neednot be necessarily air-tight, such covering being colored at certain points, preferably by stitching or embroideri'ng the cover with wash silk or silk braiding of various colors to resemble different fowls, such as teal, mallard, canvas-back duck, or the like; but, if desired, silk cloth may be sewed to the outer casing.

As will be evident, the outer casing of the decoy is cut and sewed to resemble a duck or similar fowl, and the etnbroidering or coloring before referred to is preferably applied about the head and along certain portions of the body to resemblefeathers or wings, as is shown at 2. The canvas or muslin covering is stitched over a spring or wire ring 3, this ring distending the cover sufliciently to enable the decoy when distended to float easily and steadily upon the surface of the water, and the under surface of the decoy or that portion of the same lying within the ring is provided with a longitudinal slit or opening at, having eyelets 5 formed on each side of the slit, said eyelets being adapted to receive a lacing-cord 6 for the purpose ofclosing the covering after the inner casing has been inserted. This inner casing,which is shown at 7, is formed, as hereinbefore stated, preferably of sheet-rubber and is secured within the decoy by fastenings 8, such fastenings being preferably under the head or tail por-' tions of the decoy, the construction being such that the inner casing will at all times retain its proper position with relation to'theouter covering.

For the purpose of distending or inflating the inner casing I provide a short stem or tube 9, arranged atthe bottom of said interior casing and adapted to extend through the opening or slit 4in the bottom of the outside cover, as is clearly shown in the draw-" of any suitable material, such as cloth, said flap being secured to the interior of the outer casing and is adapted to lie over and cover said slit when the decoy is inflated. After the decoy has been inflated by forcing air through the stem 9 the latter may be closed by any suitable valve, and in order to preserve the proper position of the decoy when floating in the water and to prevent the same from turning over I connect or attach a suitable weight 11 to the valve-stem, which, as is clearly seen in Fig. 1, extends downward into the water. The inflation of the decoy being accomplished, it is ready for use and when placed in the water is secured to any suitable anchoring-point through the medium of an elastic cord or rope 12, which is attached to the body portion of the decoy at 13. By having the attached cord elastic the strain or pull upon the body of the decoy is greatly lessened, and on a windy day or in rough water the decoy will have forward and backward and sidewise movements, the elastic cord always permitting the decoy to return to its original position and,furthermore, prevents such decoy from drifting away.

The many advantages incident to my improvements will be readily apparent.

It is to be noted, as hereinbefore stated, that it is not necessary to have the outer covering absolutely air-tight,'as is the case with ordinary inflatable decoys or such as are stuffed with sawdust and the like, it only being necessary, should the inner casing of my decoy be punctured, to remove the same and repair the same by covering the puncture with a patch.

The weight which is secured to the valvestem to retain the decoy in its upright position may be in the form of a V-shaped metallic clamp, thereby serving the double purpose of a weight and a device for closing the tube.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A decoy,coinprising a base-ring,an outer covering secured over said base-ring, said outer covering having a slit formed in the bottom portion thereof lying within the basering, a flexible casing adapted to lie within the outer covering,and means connected with the inner covering and protruding through the slot in the outer casing for inflating the inner casing, substantially as set forth.

2. Adecoy,co1nprisingabase-ring,a flexible outer covering secured to said base-ring, an opening being formed in the bottom of the outer covering, an inner casing lying within the outer covering and adapted to be inflated, means for securing the inner casing to the outer covering, and a lacing-cord for closing the opening in the outer covering, substantially as set forth.

3. A decoy comprising a flexible outer covering, a base-ring to which said covering is secured, an opening formed in said covering, a flexible inner casing adapted to be inflated within the covering, a tube connected to the flexible inner casing and adapted to protrude through the opening in the outer covering said tube being designed to convey air to the inner casing, and means secured to the tube for retaining the decoy in an upright position when such decoy is in use, substantially as set forth.

4:. A decoy com prising an outer covering, a distending-ring to which such covering is secured, said covering having an opening formed therein, means for closing said opening, a flexible inner casing adapted to be inserted within the outer covering through said opening, a tube connected to the inner casing for inflating the same, and a weight secured to said tube for retaining the decoy in an upright position when such decoy is in use, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPH KREMER.

Witnesses:

W. H. ECKHARDT, GEORGE T. HANLEY. 

